SNCF orders 100 next-generation very high-speed trains from Alstom

The Board of Directors of SNCF Mobilités has approved a firm order for 100 of Alstom’s next-generation Avelia Horizon very high-speed trains. 

This new generation of very high-speed trains addresses ambitious goals in terms of competitiveness of the rail sector and profitability for SNCF, with a total acquisition cost 20 per cent lower than that of the previous generation.

The experts working on this project for two years have completed the challenge of specifying a new train at a reduced cost of €25 million per trainset, with an additional budget of €190 million for options and services. This means the total contract amount is €2.7 billion before firming.

Avelia Horizon will consist of two innovative power cars of reduced length, combining high performance and compact, articulated double-deck passenger cars. Their design allows for a 20 per cent increase in passenger-dedicated areas, allowing the train to accommodate up to 740 passengers in the highest-capacity configuration chosen by SNCF.

Maintenance costs will be more than 30 per cent lower than those currently recorded by SNCF. The train’s maintainability is taken into account from the design stage, with a remote diagnostic system for predictive maintenance; improving the trains’ reliability and availability. Many of the components have an optimised design to simplify, reduce and allow longer intervals between maintenance interventions. Thanks to its aerodynamic design and a more efficient traction drive, the next-generation TGV (a trademark of SNCF) will consume 20 per cent less energy than existing TGVs.

“This order is the successful fruit of the collaborative work of SNCF and Alstom. Alstom’s Avelia Horizon solution meets the technological, economic and competitiveness challenges of SNCF,” said Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Chief Executive Officer of Alstom.